Trip Trap Strays
by Lazy Watermellon
Summary: After letting a wasted Gren and a guilty Woods men fight it out and getting things off there chest, Bigby has one destination left to go, Holly's room. But what would a drugged Troll and a past murdering Wolf have in common? A little chit chat can go a long way. (Warning: Spoilers)


Eventually It just became easy, and before he knew it, too much blood was on his paws and claws. How many, how many faceless knights, bandits, trolls and others were killed just for fun and a quick meal. He slept easy those nights and didn't bat a eye lash in the least when it came to creatures and other fairy tailed folks deaths, just a good hunt in the forest and a opportunity for a full stomach.

He even blew a house down because he felt like it, even stooped too low as to steal from a little girl and possibly have her as a appetizer, only to be split open and chucked in the river.

But even after that the Big and Bad still went on his merry way, only to be kicked out along with a group of his fellow fables.

Now...now there was no more free roam, no more hiding from the folks, what used to be a place he called home was now a concrete jungle, full of ugly stale buildings molding away on the inside faster then anyone liked. Even the Big Bad had to settle down and put on the sheep's clothing, out with the fur and into the skin, wasn't his style but even he had no choice, or it was to the farm he goes.

A second chance. It seemed to be a buzz word for a couple of months, glamour was used to hide most of the folks and some even came with nicknames. A crisp start for everyone in a new world.

it all happened so fast for everyone, new faces but were still old friends. New names that were cut from names older then time itself. But most importantly new beginnings. The Big Bad Wolf knew better then to act the same way he did, and before he knew it he was in charge with keeping everyone tied down. No rowdy business and keeping fables in check. It was a job he couldn't refuse, and the fables paid the price, sometimes the wolf liked to get in fights but knew when to cut it out.

He even managed to mess that up.

Presently two fables were killed, both 'working girls' and one was killed imposing as another woman, worse be it another Fable. Two fables horribly wounded and a suspect out on run leaving him and snow white on a wild goose chase. It didn't help that they had to find the hidden witch too and the Tweedle brothers to boot. The crazy roller coaster ride never seemed to slow down did it?

Eventually it became so much harder. Faceless fables were no more, he now saw the problems they went through, seeing them lose loved ones and being betrayed, the conditions his fellow fables were put through. Suicide, lies, murder, sick fetishes, the list never seemed to end, sad part was he knew back then he would have walked away without a care. All he had to care about back then was if he would be able to get something to eat. He was trying to have a fresh start, maybe not the best but progress is progress. Comfort was never his specialty, but when gruff mug of a man opened the back door in the trip trap bar, he was going to have to be as gentle as he could

Holly

She had every right to look the way she did, laid out like a dropped sack of potato's. Bigby was sure she needed the drugs at the moment. Learning your sister was brutally slain, having using mundy drugs and even learning Woody was hitting the sheets with her behind her back. Lets not to mention Hollys sisters funeral went guns blazing. It was enough to send the poor girl into hysteria

But thanks to enough drugs to knock out a elephant she would at least get a good nights rest.

Walking up Bigby got a good look at her in her true form, both times he never really got a good glance, with fighting Gren and the Tweedle twins shooting up the place he didn't have time to look at the details. She was a light cherry color, and the dark dots scattered across her body really made her look like a oversized strawberry. Her figure was thick but he would think twice with messing with her, he knew she could dislocate his jaw, and with her sass he would bet money she wouldn't think twice in doing so if lines were crossed. Looking around he saw she didn't change from her midnight black dress, even the high heels were still strapped to her now over grown feet. Looking back up he sighed and scratched his gruff, heavy make up on a horned face troll felt weird to look at, but he was sure he didn't look like no prince charming either...

In fact far from it, he was a wolf, a really big hairy scarred mutt. But enough looking, business was business and he needed to check Lily's stuff. Kicking the empty bottles jingled Holly a bit, moving her body a around. Moving in quick while her hands didn't cage Lily's belongings Bigby grabbed the box full of evidence and placed it on the table. But being to loud stirred Holly from her sleep, she was grumbling but he heard it all as clear as day.

"That you, Woody?" Bigby didn't feel like playing in some other role, and learning what he learned a couple of minutes ago he didn't feel like being wrapped up in the drama. "No Holly, its me, Bigby." His voice as usual was deep and gruff, with no sense of joking. But instead of the usual snarky remarks and sass she was calm about him being there like Gren did.

"Bigby...bars closed. And excuse me but...im not in the mood for entertaining. But what the fuck, I know you're not going to leave. You do what you want, you always do what you want..." True, breaking down doors and huffing and puffing was his style for the longest time, seems like a few months of nocking on doors and playing peace keeper instead didn't do to much compared to five hundred years of breaking down door and eating people. But he was still trying.

But back to business, besides the huge bottle that took up half the room in the box the picture caught his eyes, picking it up gently he took a good look at it. He knew the two other girls so he guessed the woman on the right was Lily. She looked beautiful, he sort of wished he saw her alive some time and not dead and mangled. if she was at the pudding pie all the time it would explain why he never saw her, he never cared to go near the place. Now he wished to just drop by and check out the place. He made a note to at least drop by to places even if he didn't have to go there.

Maybe if he didn't always kick away every problem and actually get his head out of his ass he would see his fellow Fables were knee deep in grime and shit. Maybe even lighten some burdens even if he had to smack a few heads. He heard Holly grumble some more.

"Do you even give a shit about us? The strays!?" The key word struck him. Before she could say more Bigby easily spoke up, a content look on his face. The word stray meant a lot to him. "Holly, just cause I live in the Woodlands doesn't mean I'm not one of your "strays." I'm not Crane or Cole, I didn't exactly grow up wearing cloths." Like Gren, Lily and Holly, Bigby didn't really have much use for cloths and didn't much live in the 'posh' style like beauty and beast did. He only had himself to watch over like most of the 'bad' Fables did, and only a deep forest at his back to call 'home'. She seemed to understand what he was talking about, and she couldn't help but agree. "yeeeah...I know you didn't."

Searching for more clues the drugged troll gurgled out some more questions, and once again Bigby was all ears, this was the only chance he would ever get such a casual conversation with her, so he might as well take it.

"Why'd you even come here? Theirs nothing here to investigate...I can't be any use to you."

"I need to look through your sisters things." Before saying more to explain she seemed to try to think. "To...get Crane?" "Yeah." She may be drugged up eight ways to Sundays but the doc was right, she was a titan, at least she could piece things together even while on high medication.

Searching for more clues he took a quick glance at the brooch and capsule, but dismissed it. Finally he picked up what looked just like the book at the strip joint. It was coal black and pretty worn out, seemed like she held on to this and many more before. Seemed more like a diary than anything, Fables truly live too long.

Flipping through Bigby just found addresses mixed with initials, a good lead but might as well be a needle in the hay stack. With so few minutes to spare and too many suspects to investigate Bigby was at a loss. Once more Holly spoke up, this time a little more clearer then the last times. her voice was a bit heavier then the last times, and her face looked grave like gravity kicking in.

"Be honest sheriff...why ya going after him? Crane. You could have quit a long time ago...but you're still going. Why? Did they give you this job for a reason?"

Lily...

Living in the new world everyone besides Blue Beard got thrown into the can, poor and scrapping for change even if that meant selling your back side and role playing for someone sick fetish to pay the bills that stacked a mile high. The saddest part was he once saw the files of Lily missing, the file was on top of all the rest yet he still walked away not wanting to deal with it. Now there she is, off with her head and down a bottomless well just because he didn't 'feel' like it. Ordered too or not by Crane he still could have at least gave a look.

Normally he'd given up a long time ago but not this time. Back then he'd let a troll like Lily go down but now, now's the breaking point. No more would Fables be 'pushed to the side.' If this is how it goes, bringing Holly this low, pushing Gren this hard and the crazy things Lily had to go through just to stay alive. Than it was high time to finally put others before his own 'quality time.' And when this crime was said and done with, he promised himself he'd pay a visit to all Fables, do what he can and keep a eye's and ears out and patch up some places.

But for now, to a woman he never met, to a woman he neglected, he would make sure she get every last drop of justice she should have gotten. He will find her killer. Bibgy Looked Holly dead in her lemon colored eyes. No bull shitting, and gave his honest answer.

"I'm doing this for Lily...she deserved whatever justice I can get her."

She seemed genuinely shocked, just laid there staring at him, watching to see if his face wavered at all, any tricks or trying to butter her up.

Nothing.

The big Bad Wolf was not going to let this crime go, and Holly knew her sister would soon get her justice.

"I'll take it." She heard the phone go off and Bigby leave soon after to silence the ringing.

Turning to get some shut eye her sore and bruised body felt a bit lighter, thoughts of the conversation they had rolling in her head as she faded away. Maybe the Big Bad isn't so 'Bad' at times after all.


End file.
